Home trainer for bicyclists



(No Model.)

HOME TRAINER FOR BIGYGLISTS. No. 359,800. Patented Mar. 22, 188.7.

UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

JAY MCOLTNTOGK, OF VILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOME TRAINER FOR BICYCLISTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,800, dated March22, 1887.

Application filed December 27, 1986. Serial No. 222,683. (X0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AY McCLINrooIr, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Vvilliamsport, in the count-y of Lycoming and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HomeTrainers for Bicyclists; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class ofexercising-machines used by bicyclists and known as home trainers, butdiffers in character from such machines generallyin that it is anindependent supportingframe adapted to be used in connection with any ofthe well'known styles of bicycles. This frame is further adapted to usewith bicycles of different sizes, and is capable of be ing adjusted tosuit the requirements of the rider as regards his strength and musculardevelopment. In these features, together with the construction andcombination of the parts of this frame, lie the novelties of myinvention, all as will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

For a better understanding of the parts in detail attention is invitedto the accompanying drawings, wherein likeletters of reference denotecorresponding parts, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of thisframe supporting a Star bicycle; Fig. 2, a plan view of the base of thisframe; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the entire frame, and Fig. 4 anelevationof the bolt to be used with an ordinary or crank bicycle.

The base A of the frame, which is made of wood or metal, consists,preferably, of two side beams, a a, and two end connecting-beams, a c,which form an open rectangular frame adapted to set well and firmly inthe pan A. The object of this pan is to catch any dripping of oil, &c.,that might drop from the bicycle when in motion; but this pan of courseis not indispensable. In this base A are mounted two steel or ironshafts, B B, each carrying a rubber roller, 0, provided with a centralperipheral groove, 0, to receive the drivingwheel of the bicycle; butthese grooves are not absolutely necessary, and the rollers can be madeof other material besides rubber, but this material is the mostdesirable because it will adhere more closely to the shafts, is cheapand durable, and gives a better and more natural bearing-surface withoutinjury to the driving-wheel. The shafts B B, which carry these rollers,have end hearings in journalboxes D D in the side beams, a a, so as torun easy and with but little friction; and upon each shaft are screwedtwo jam'nuts, (Z (Z, that press against the ends of the rollers andcompel them to turn with the shafts, and besides act as collars betweenthe rollers and the side beams of the base A.

E E are two upright frames bolted one to each side beam of the base A,and each consisting, preferably, of two stay rods or braces, c 6,connected at the upper ends by a flat head or crown -piece, f, and acentral brace, f. The head or crownpiece f of each frame E is enlargedat the center, and there punched out to receive a screw-bolt, F, whichis vertically adjustable by means of a thumb-nut or other equivalentmeans, F, provided on each bolt above the crown-piecef. This bolt F isalso provided with a nut, F below the crownpiece, for steadying andholding the bolt securely.

The head 6 of each screw-bolt is enlarged, and has a horizontal slotorgroove, f, on top, to receive the brace G of the bicycle, near the axleof the driving-wheel, and is further provided with the hook e", providedat its lower end with the thurnb-nut d", to screw down upon andholdsecurely the said brace G of the bicycle. lo adapt thissupporting-frame to use in connection wit-h any other kind of bicyclebesides the Star, but slight changes in the form of the bolt-heads arenecessary, and this will require the exercise of mechanical skill alone.Such changes are illustrated in Fig. 4. A small block, H, is to beplaced under the other wheel of the bicycle, for the purpose of raisingsaid wheel to a level with the drivingwheel. It will be apparent thatbut one roller could be used on the base, or even more than two, andthat this block H could in some way be attached to the base A. By meansof these screwbolts and their adjusting means the frame is adapted touse with different sizes of bicycles, and the pressure of thedrivingwheel upon the rollers can be adjusted to run hard or easy and tosuit the strength of the,

rider.

With a trainer of this kind there is no wear or injury to the wheel andbut little or no noise, and the rider derives the same physical benefitsand exercise as when riding upon the road.

Above all, this trainer is cheaper and better adapted to the generalwants of the bicyclists than others of its class, mainly so from thefact that it is independent in itself and can be used with any type ofbicycles.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A trainer for bicyclists, consisting of a base, one or more elasticrollers mounted on said base, and two frames secured to said base forthe support of the bicycle, substantially as described.

2. A trainer for bicyclists, consisting of a base, one or more rollersmounted on said base, two vertical frames secured to said base, and apairof vertically-adjustable screw-bolts passing down through saidframes and adapted to support the driving-wheel of a bicycle at or nearits axis, substantially as described.

3. A trainer. for, bicyclists, consisting of a base, one or more rollersmounted on said base, two vertical frames secured to said base,

at the ends of therollers, the vertical frames E E, the screw-bolts F F,adapted to support the driving-wheel of a bicycle, and the thumbnuts F For the like onthe screw-bolts, substantially as and for thepurposes setforth:

5. In a trainer for bicyclists, thecombina tion. of a pan, a base setwithin said pan, vertically-adjustable supports for the drivingwheel ofthe bicycle secured to said base, one

or more rollers mounted on said base for the bearing of thedriving-wheel, and another base a or block for the second wheel of thebicycle,

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.r

JAY :MCCLINTOCK,

Witnesses:

JNo. F. LAEDLEIN, J. T. FREDERIOKS.

